Multistylus recorder

ABSTRACT

A multistylus electrographic recorder including a housing with a hinged top panel which supports the recording medium path defining structures and a viewing window as well as the medium supply and the manual/automatic driving assembly therefor. This latter assembly operates automatically with the top panel closed and is manually operable with the top panel in a loading position. Recording, developing and fusing apparatus are also disclosed.

United States Patent Stange et al. I

[541 MULTISTYLUS RECORDER [72] lnventors: Klaus K. Stange, Pittsford; Thomas K.

Robinson, Jr., Rochester, both of NY. 1

[73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Rochester, NY.

[22] Filed: June 2, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 829,638

[52] US. Cl. ......346/74 ES, 10l/D1G. 13,197/133,

346/133, 346/145 [51] int. Cl. ..G03g 15/22 {58] Field of Search ..346/74 ES, 74 E, 74 CH, 74 S,

346/74 SB, 76, 133, 145, 74 SC; 1711/66, 6.6 A; lO 1/D1G. 13; 197/133; 355/3, 72

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,825,622 3/1958 Cohen ..346/74 ES 3,008,826 11/1961 Mott ..96/1

1 1 Feb. 22, 1972 3,082,970 3/1963 Rasmussen ..346/ 76 3,294,212 12/1966 Gearheart.... 197/ 133 3,357,347 12/1967 Nesin 101/45 3,363,261 1/1968 Maiershofer.... 346/74 ES 3,389,402 6/1968 Rosmanith ..346/76 Primary Examiner-Howard W. Britton Anorney.lames .l. Ralabate, Benjamin B. Sklar and John E. Beck [57] ABSTRACT A multistylus electrographic recorder including a housing with a hinged top panel which supports the recording medium path defining structures and a viewing window as well as the medium supply and the manual/automatic driving assembly therefor. This latter assembly operates automatically with the top panel closed and is manually operable with the top panel I in a loading position. Recording, developing and fusing apparatus are also disclosed.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 22, 1972 3 Sheet 1 FIG. 1

NToRs STANG HOMAS K. ROB R KLAUS K, T

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet I Patented Feb. 22, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MULTISTYLUS RECORDER This invention relates to recorders in pact styli recorders in particular.

With the need for constant communications becoming more and more an imperative than a luxury, a simple, low-cost, high-quality, and compact alphanumeric recorder is an ideal for which many are aiming. Each attribute of this ideal is singly achievable as well as certain combinations. But to successfully design a recorder with all these superior characteristics is difficult and, prior to the present invention, had not been done.

Many aspects of such an ideal recorder contribute in an interrelated way to the overall performance, cost and quality. Such things as paper paths wherein threading and-feeding is general, and to comsimplified to a degree such that recording medium is con-' served along with enabling the use of less costly feeder techniques go a long way in making the ultimate goal possible. These aspects coupled with incorporation of a recording technique such as electrography add to the quality and reliability of the machine. Therefore, no single feature of the present invention alone contributes in a major way to the success but all the features equally cooperate to make the present invention what it is.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to improve data recorders.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved recorder having a simplified recording medium path facilitating low cost use and ease of threading.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve el'ectrographic recorders in both reliability and performance.

These objects and other objects may be better appreciated when the following detailed description is read in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention with some parts removed for clarity;

HO. 2 is an exploded view of the drive system for the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the recording components of the present invention.

Reference will now be made to HO. 1 which depicts a side view of the present invention with a side panel and some of the drive mechanism removed for purposes of clarity. The recorder is housed in a suitable housing comprising a back panel 2, bottom panel 4, and a front panel 6 which may be integral with the bottom panel 4. Two side panels are also included, one of which is illustrated and designated by the reference numeral 8. Back panel 2 has attached to its upper edge a hinge pin 10 which supports for rotation about one edge a top panel 12 which will be described in more detail hereinafter. Also supported by hinge pin 10 is acompartment panel 14 which serves to segregate the roll of recording medium 16 mounted for rotation on an idler shaft 18 from the remaining parts of the recorder. This idler shaft 18 is connected to top panel 12 by flange l9 integral with the top panel. A drag arm 20 is also supported by the hinge pin 10 and is spring biased so as to exert a constant drag on the recording medium roll 16 regardless of the amount of recording material remaining on shaft 18. ln this way, any momentum of therecording medium roll will not permit slack to develop after the pulling force on the roll has ceased. 1

As the recording medium moves through its path in the present invention, it passes successively through a recording zone, a development zone, a fusing/viewing zone, and finally an access zone.

As shown in FIG. 1 the recording medium leaves roll 16 at the top and passes over an extension 22 of the compartment panel 14 and across a backing electrode 24. This extension defines one side ofthe recording zone.

At the recording zone, discrete electrostatic charges are placed on the recording medium in patterns conforming to informational data. This is accomplished by the energization of recording styli with suitable. electrical signals as the styli traverse the recording medium in contact therewith. The styli are supported on a styli card which is fixed to an insulative body 42. A plurality of these bodies are fixed to a dielectric belt 44 which, as will be described in more detail hereinafter, is driven in a cyclic manner to move the styli through the recording zone in a direction substantially perpendicular to the movement of the recording medium. For each stylus on the card 40 there is a spring brush 38 also fixed to body 44. Each of these brushes are engageable with a commutator bar mounted on one side of a dielectric member 46 to form a commutator assembly as will be described in more detail hereinafter in connection with FIG. 3. Electrical signals provided to these commutator bars pass to the styli via the spring brushes electrically connected therewith during a recording cycle.

As the recording medium leaves the recording zone bearing latent electrostatic charge patterns it passes a resilient seal 62, preferably made of a silicon rubber, which marks the end of the recording zone and the beginning of the development zone.

lnthe development zone the latent electrostatic charge pattern is rendered visible by bringing into contact with the recording medium electroscopic marking particles commonly referred to as toner, which are attracted thereto in configuration with the charge patterns.

The actual development may be carried out in many conventional ways. Illustrated as an example is the use of a natural fur brush 50 of cylindrical cross section mounted for rotation with shaft 52 in the direction of the arrow, i.e., against the movement of the recording medium. As the brush 50 rotates, it brushes the medium supported by member 26 as well as contacts a donor roller 54 which is fixed on shaft 56 for rotation opposite to that of the developing brush 50. The donor roll may also take many forms and is illustrated as a metal roller which may be coated with a suitable triboelectric material. The donor roller may be partially immersed in a developer mixture which is held in a sump defined by member 58 which is supported by the side panels by way of tie bar 49. A hood 60 extends from the egress of the development zone to the donor roller to confine any cloud of developer mixture to the development zone. This same role is played by seal 62 mounted on the edgeof member 58 at the entrance to the development zone since stray particles in the recording zone could interfere with the performance of the moving parts as well as disrupt proper electrical contact between the brushes 38 and the commutator bars.

Stray marking particles escaping from the exit of the development zone could cloud the viewing window 64 which forms part of the fusing/viewing zone. In this zone, the electroscopic marking particles which have made visible the recorded electrostatic patterns are permanently fixed on or fused with the recording medium by the application of a suitable amount of heat. The source of this heat is a resistance element 27 imbedded in a platen 28 across which the toner-laden medium is pulled. Window 64 is mounted on the top panel 12 by a flanged member 66. As the developed data is fused, an operator, symbolized by the eye 68, may view the recording through the window 64 with the illumination provided by lamp 70 mounted in a reflector 72 supported by the side panels via tie bar 73.

The recording medium is ultimately pulled through its path by means of a driven roller 30 mounted on shaft 32 and a spring-loaded pinch roller 33 mounted on shaft 34. Shafts'32 and 34 are each supported for rotation by the top panel 12. Shaft 32 also has fixed at one end thereof a thumb wheel 74 which is depicted in the phantom portion of FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity.

On the egress side of rollers 30 and 33, the recording medium now bearing pennanent visible information passes-a tear bar 76 the edge of which defines the beginning of the access zone. This zone is further defined by the inclined depression in the top panel 12 which forms an opening therein for passage of the recording medium. In this zone, the recorded information is physically accessible and may be torn off with the help of the tear bar 76.

um roll, pinch roller-driven roller assembly including rollers 30 and 33, backing electrode 24 and developer support 26 along with window 64 and member 66 are all moved with the top panel 12 when the panel is moved to its phantom position.

In addition to the elements already alluded to as being moved in fixed relation with the top panel 12 there is an additional item, thumb wheel 74. As will be seen in more detail hereinafter, this wheel may be made of a suitable plastic material having a serrated edge or periphery to permit a person to easily rotate it with contact by his thumb or other finger. The shaft 32 on which the wheel is mounted is positioned inside the recorder housing when the top panel is down in such a manner so the wheel 74 protrudes as shown in the phantom view slightly above the respective portion of the top panel 12 to permit access thereto by operator. Since the thumb wheel 74 is mounted on the same shaft 32 as is drive roller 30 for therecording medium manual movement of the recording media by an operator is possible. This greatly facilitates threading the recording medium through the previously described zones before the top panel 12 is closed or placed in its operating condition. This is accomplished by bringing the recording medium off the roll 16 out around the backing electrode 24 and development support plate 26 guiding it to the mouth of the pinch roll assembly formed by rollers 30 and 33 by means of the fuser platen 28 and a plurality of thin guide fingers 17. Then, by action of the thumb wheel the medium is appropriately moved between rollers 30 and 33. Any desirable amount of lead may be fedthrough-the pinch roll assembly manually through the opening in the top panel 12. In this way only the necessary amount of recording medium is used in the threading process and no slack is generated which is not used by the machine for recording purposes. Therefore, only a minimum of recording medium is wasted, that being the amount which is fed past the pinch roller assembly. Before describing the drive system for the present invention reference may be made to box 78 in the lower lefthand corner of the housing of FIG. 1 which may include suitable electronics for generating electrical signals which would be conveyed to the commutator bars for the recording of alphanumeric information on the recording medium.

Reference will now be made to the drive system for the recorder illustrated in FIG. 2. The source of all driving power in the apparatus is generated from motor 80 having a shaft 81 which transmits motive power to an endless drivebelt 82 entrained about roller 83, idler roller 84 and roller 85. Roller 85 is fixed to and rotates with main drive shaft 52 having one end fixed to the developing brush 50. The other end of the main drive shaft 52 is fixed to drive gear 86 which cooperates with an intermediate gear 87 to drive gear 88. These three gears cooperate to reduce the drive speed on shaft 90 fixed to gear 88 and gear 91.,Gear 91 cooperates with gear 92 to translate this drive force thereto. Gear 92 then acts to drive shaft 56 which translates this driving force to the donor roll 54. in addition, shaft 56 is also coupled to roller 93 which drives endless belt 94 entrained thereabout and about idler rollers 95 and 96. Belt 94 is in driving relationship-with the thumb wheel 74 mounted on shaft 32 to drive drive roller 30 of the pinch roller assembly previously alluded to in connection with the description of FIG. 1. As the drive belt 94 is driven the thumb wheel acts as a driven roller to feed paper through the pinch roll assembly from the recording medium roll 16.

lt can be appreciated that when the top panel is raised and the recorder housing opened, the thumb wheel 74 does not contact the belt 94 and can be driven manually to move the recording medium through the pinch roll assembly for pur poses of threading this medium.

When the top panel 12 is closed thumb wheel 74 then engages drivebelt 94 for automatic drive.

Shaft 98 is fixed to and rotates with roller 83 and has one end coupled to helical gear 100. Referring now specifically to FIG. 1 this helical gear 100 cooperates with helical gear 102 to drive shaft 104 which is coupled via a conventional wrap spring clutch 106 to a sprocket wheel which is best seen in FIG. 3.

As seen in more'detail in FIG. 3, shaft 104 is fixed to a sprocket wheel to drive endless belt 44 previously alluded to in connection with FIG. 1.

The recording styli card 40 is shown mounted on body 42 which is in turn adhered to the outer surface of belt 44 and is associated with two slots 108 which permit the body 42 to easily maneuver the bend'in the path of belt 44 as it is driven about the two sprockets wheels 105 and 110. Also associated with body 42 are a plurality of spring brushes 38 equal in number to the number of styli on card 40 which are in electrical contact during a recording cycle with commutator bars 112 embedded in the under side of a dielectric member 114. These commutator bars and member 114 make up the commutator assembly 46 previously referred to in connection with FIG 1. Shaft 104 associated with sprocket wheel 105 and shaft 116 associated with sprocket wheel are each fixed to a sprocketless wheel shown through the portion of belt 44 broken away and given the reference numeral 118. Both shafts 104 and 116 are mounted in bearings fixed to flange support member 120 as shown in FIG. 1 which in turn is connected to the side panels in a rigid manner by way of tie bar 122.

When the recorder of the present invention is in operation, motor 80 is energized and clutch 106 is engaged to translate motive power from shaft 104 to sprocket drive wheel 105 to move belt 44 through its path. In so doing, the recording stylus 44 mounted on body 42 are caused to be moved across the recording zone associated with backing electrode 24 to contact recording medium 16 driven thereacross. During this traversal of the recording medium by the styli, electrical signals conventionally provided by suitable electronics in box 78 are supplied via the commutator bars 112, and the spring brushes 38 to the appropriate styli connectedthereto.

This results in matrix patterns of recording information in the form of discrete electrostatic charges on the recording medium. As the clutch 106 is enabled prior to teach traversal, the recording medium continues to be pulled through the various zones by the action of drive belt 94 and rollers 30 and 33.

The recording information bearing medium is moved past seal 62, which does not effect the recorded charges, to the development zone where the recording is rendered visible.

The developed image continues now to the fusing viewing zone where platen 28 makes the developed image permanent.

It is noted that actually the platen 28 and the backing'electrode 24 are substantially parallel and connected physically by the support member 26. This configuration assists the pinch roll assembly in maintaining the toner-laden recording medium taut and in good contact with platen 28 for efficient fusing.

The recording medium portion bearing the fused image then passes the pinch roll assembly to the opening in the top panel 12 where it may be retrieved by tearing it from the remaining recording medium.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An information recorder:

a housing including a panel movable between recorder operating and servicing positions;

a recording zone and means for recording information in said recording zone;

means attached to said panel for supporting a supply of recording medium;

a pinch roll assembly including driven and idler rollers the latter being biased against the former, said pinch roll assembly being mounted to said panel' and movable therewith;

manually actuatable means connected to said driven roller for imparting motion thereto for moving recording medium between said rollers in said servicing position, and

means for imparting movement to said manually actuatable means when said panel is in said operating position for moving recording medium between said rollers.

2. An information recorder according to claim 1 wherein said movement-imparting means comprises:

a source of motive power; and

drive means coupled to said source of motive power and engageable with said manually actuatable means when said panel is in said operating position for coupling said motive power to said driven member.

3. An information recorder according to claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises a belt and said manually actuatable means comprises a wheel.

4. An information recorder according to claim 3 wherein said wheel extends through said panel.

5. A multistylus information recorder comprising:

a housing including a panel movable between recorder operating and recording servicing positions;

a recording zone including a recording head bearing a linear array of styli fixed to a drive member adapted to move said styli across a recording medium at said recording zone between said styli and a backing member and means for supplying recording signals to said styli during movement thereof to effect the deposition of electrostatic charges on said medium; shaft mounted on said panel for supporting a supply of recording medium; 7 development zone including a development support member and means for depositing electrostatic marking particles on a recording medium to render electrostatic charges thereon visible;

a fusing station including platen means for fixing electroscopic marking particles to a recording medium in contact with a surface thereof in said fusing zone;

a pinch roll assembly, including a driven roller and an idler roller spring loaded against the driven roller, said assembly being adapted to pull successive portions of a recording medium from said shaft to said stations in the I order recited hereinabove;

manually actuatable means coupled to said driven roller for manually driving said driven roller when said panel is in said recorder servicing position; and

said backing and said support members, said platen means, said pinch roll assembly and said manually actuatable means being mounted to said panel and movable therewith.

6. A recorder as defined in claim 5 further including:

a. viewing means mounted in said panel for rendering said electroscopic particle bearing recording medium at said fusing station visually accessible; and

b. an opening in said panel located proximate to the egress side of said pinch roll assembly for permitting physical access to a recording medium egressing therefrom.

7. A recorder as defined in claim 5 wherein the surfaces of said backing member and said platen means are substantially parallel to each other.

8. A recorder as defined in claim 5 further including means for isolating the recording zone from the development zone having a nonconductive seal positioned to be in pressure contact against said recording medium as it moves from the recording zone to the development zone, said seal extending across the entire width of said recording medium in a direction transverse to the direction of movement thereof.

9. A recorder as defined in claim 5 wherein said manually actuatable means includes an engageable wheel fixed to rotate said driven roller.

10. A recorder as defined in claim 9 further including:

a. source of motive power;

b. drive means coupled to said source and engageable with said wheel when said panel is in said operating position for coupling said motive power to said driven roller and disengaged therefrom whey in the servicing position. 

1. An information recorder: a housing including a panel movable between recorder operating and servicing positions; a recording zone and means for recording information in said recording zone; means attached to said panel for supporting a supply of recording medium; a pinch roll assembly including driven and idler rollers the latter being biased against the former, said pinch roll assembly being mounted to said panel and movable therewith; manually actuatable means connected to said driven roller for imparting motion thereto for moving recording medium between said rollers in said servicing position, and means for imparting movement to said manually actuatable means when said panel is in said operating position for moving recording medium between said rollers.
 2. An information recorder according to claim 1 wherein said movement-imparting means comprises: a source of motive power; and drive means coupled to said source of motive power and engageable with said manually actuatable means when said panel is in said operating position for coupling said motive power to said driven member.
 3. An information recorder according to claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises a belt and said manually actuatable means comprises a wheel.
 4. An information recorder according to claim 3 wherein said wheel extends through said panel.
 5. A multistylus information recorder comprising: a housing including a panel movable between recorder operating and recording servicing positions; a recording zone including a recording head bearing a linear array of styli fixed to a drive member adapted to move said styli across a recording medium at said recording zone between said styli and a backing member and means for supplying recording signals to said styli during movement thereof to effect the deposition of electrostatic charges on said medium; a shaft mounted on said panel for supporting a supply of recording medium; a development zone including a development support member and means for depositing electrostatic marking particles on a recording medium to render electrostatic charges thereon visible; a fusing station including platen means for fixing electroscopic marking particles to a recording medium in contact with a surface thereof in said fusing zone; a pinch roll assembly, including a driven roller and an idler roller spring loaded against the driven roller, said assembly being adapted to pull successive portions of a recording medium from said shaft to said stations in the order recited hereinabove; manually acTuatable means coupled to said driven roller for manually driving said driven roller when said panel is in said recorder servicing position; and said backing and said support members, said platen means, said pinch roll assembly and said manually actuatable means being mounted to said panel and movable therewith.
 6. A recorder as defined in claim 5 further including: a. viewing means mounted in said panel for rendering said electroscopic particle bearing recording medium at said fusing station visually accessible; and b. an opening in said panel located proximate to the egress side of said pinch roll assembly for permitting physical access to a recording medium egressing therefrom.
 7. A recorder as defined in claim 5 wherein the surfaces of said backing member and said platen means are substantially parallel to each other.
 8. A recorder as defined in claim 5 further including means for isolating the recording zone from the development zone having a nonconductive seal positioned to be in pressure contact against said recording medium as it moves from the recording zone to the development zone, said seal extending across the entire width of said recording medium in a direction transverse to the direction of movement thereof.
 9. A recorder as defined in claim 5 wherein said manually actuatable means includes an engageable wheel fixed to rotate said driven roller.
 10. A recorder as defined in claim 9 further including: a. source of motive power; b. drive means coupled to said source and engageable with said wheel when said panel is in said operating position for coupling said motive power to said driven roller and disengaged therefrom when in the servicing position. 